December 20, 1902

THE death of Mr Robert S Bartleet means the severance of the few remaining local links uniting the early part of the 19th century with the early part of the 20th century.

For the great part of the inhabitants of Redditch can only remember the coronation of one monarch, the present King, but the late Mr Bartleet was born in the reign of George IV and saw the coronation of King William IV, Queen Victoria and King Edward VII.

In many more respects than one, Mr Bartleet had an interesting life.

For within the period there was probably more advances made in arts, sciences, sociology and industrial matters than in any other equal period of the country's history.

In his time, Redditch more than quadrupled its population and Mr Bartleet was one of those people whose active and well-directed efforts helped to raise Redditch from a village to an industrial manufacturing centre.